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Summer Sponges: Children’s Minds Soak Up Knowledge
Presented by Beth Butler/Creator of the
BOCA BETH
Program
The time is upon us
parents, teachers and care givers…the charming challenge of keeping the
troops happy. Most of us know that there is a probable decline in
cognitive development in our children during the summers if in
traditional school settings. In fact, the latest report from a professor
of Duke University states that most children lose approximately one
month’s worth of learning over the summer time - many losing math and
reading skills.
What’s a parent to do? Our
vision of a perfect summer for our kids involves hopes of making great
family memories with those all-family vacations, relaxation combined
with rejuvenation for both children and parents not to mention the
fending off of the ever-famous daily statements of boredom and inability
to find one thing to do.
What’s a child to do?
Their vision of a perfect summer for themselves involves hopes of
sleeping in, having fun and only fun not to mention the fending off of
any learning-related task, activity, book or program.
I play both sides of the
fence when it comes to summer. Having spent more than ten years in the
classroom I truly relished the countdown to summer. I loved my students,
but I loved my summers free just as equally. Having been a mother for
more than seventeen years I truly relish the countdown to the end of
summer! I love my children, but I love the regular routine and schedule
that the school year provides our family.
The following tidbits come
from both sides of the fence and combine to create some sizzling moments
for those little sponge-like brains to soak up the knowledge and keep
their brains active during the dog days of summer.
-
Read! Read! Read! Oh I
know! You’re busy - you don’t even have time to read the business
section of the newspaper each morning much less plunk down on the
floor with Junior for 5 and read a cool book to him that’s been
sitting in his room since the Holidays - unread! Come on! You are
your child’s best teacher. You are your child’s best role model. You
know your child loves, loves, loves the time you spend focusing on
just him! And for the older children (elementary school age) - they
are probably into chapter books, and the selections these days are
terrific! I have never been so into my child’s reading selections as
I have been this past year. And then there are the teens! Find books
about what they love right now. (For us that is billiards,
basketball and World Series of Poker.) Your local library can
provide you with a multitude of books from which to choose for all
ages of children.
-
Problem Solvers of
America stand up and be recognized! Yes! Your children need your
creative genius to kick in and keep the math mind active during the
summer months. You can do this. At restaurants use the menu as a
math mini lesson, ask them to estimate what the total bill would be,
have them calculate the tip based on 15% and then 20%, check your
time of placing the order and have the kids time the food
preparation time….you get my drift! Use your car time for math
problems - mental math is something our generation of children is
losing thanks to cell phone calculators, math/science calculators
and more. Once you are back in the house use your cooking time for
fractions, measurements and time lessons (SSSSHHH! Don’t mention the
word lesson please!) If you give out allowance get the kids involved
in totaling the value of their contributions around the home and
their designations for the money.
-
Mindless Couch
Potatoes Beware! You are the parent! You need to limit the TV time,
the computer time, the Nintendo DS, Game Cube, Game Boy, Game
Player, Game Watcher, Game Gobble-Your-Child’s-Mind-Machine now,
today, ahora, pronto! It’s so hard. I am no saint, no poster mom for
this one, but I do know how important it is. We all read the
studies, and we hear the reports on the negative effects of
multi-media entertainment on children (whether attributed to the
violent nature, the amount of time involved, the over stimulation,
the constant barrage of media hype). We all know it’s in the
children’s best interest to monitor what’s going into their brains
via these devices. So try to get your children balanced in their
outdoor time, reading time, quiet/down time, family time and life in
general.
Make the summers work for
you and, more importantly, for your child! Turn your vacations into a
classroom without the kids knowing it by sneaking in the local museum or
park or zoo for a few hours. Use that portable DVD player for some edutaining DVDs (local libraries are great places for
rentals). Travel to a spot none of you have been and so some great
research together incorporating map skills, science skills for the
weather/climate of the destination and language skills by learning new
languages specific to that area.
About the Author:
Beth Butler is the creator of the BOCA BETH Language Learning Series for
young children. Find out how fun and easy it can be to raise a bilingual
child. Sample the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at
http://www.bocabeth.com
Call toll free 1.877.825.2622 or 1.813.244.1432 |
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